Soul Inheritance (23 page)

Already she could smell the lake water. The familiarity of the woods around her was strong as they drove on through the dense forest. The trees arched over the road, putting it into complete shadow. It was like a dark tunnel with no visible end. Finally the trees grew too close to take the truck any further. There was a small clearing off to the side. Jim pulled the truck in and turned off the engine.

“
Well, it’s on foot from he’re.” He looked at the makeshift map. “Wish we had some sense of distance, but we can’t be far now. It’ll be dark in another hour. What do ya want ta do?”

“
I want to see the lake.” She opened the door and got out. “Take what we need for the night. We’ll stay in the cabin.”

Katherine never offered to look at the map on the paper bag. Like a person suddenly obsessed she got out, filled a pack, grabbed a sleeping bag and headed off. Jim was hard put to keep up.

“
Would ya slow down. Are ya sure we have everything?”

Nothing reached her ears. Her heart raced as she followed her nose in the direction of the water. For the first time she stood on the shore of the lake in person. Miranda gathered behind her eyes, saw what she saw.

Looking out over the dark, placid waters she knew she was home. Not one ripple or current disrupted the surface. It looked like a slab of black slate reflecting the colorful fall leaves of autumn. The forest around it was composed mostly of pines and poplars that came within feet of the water, in some places to its edge, roots reaching out into the life source of this place. The woods were thick, dark and forbidding at just a glance. Even in the full light of day it seemed almost dusk. There were stumps sticking up in the water’s edges up to twenty feet in. They were black and dead. There seemed to be a complete lack of wildlife. The only birds they’d seen since they crossed the boundaries were huge black crows that heckled them now from the tops of the trees.

No beavers, rabbits or anything else stirred. Katherine and Jim scanned the waters just off shore. Their eyes stopped on an object in the water. At first it looked like a creature standing waist deep. As their eyes adjusted they saw it was a huge old stump with so much character it might be mistaken for a form, a face, a beast. If it were a creature, then there on its shoulder was a muskrat. A scroungie looking thing, but it was life where they saw no other.

A deep anxiety ran through Katherine. As she looked at Jim she saw it reflected in his eyes.

“
So, ya have any idea what this power yar family traded for was exactly?” He asked, hoping it was of a protective nature.

“
Oh, I have ideas. The power of suggestion is part of it,” she said glancing at the stump again. “You feel that?”

“
Yep. Sure do. Where do ya reckon it’s comin’ from?” He shifted uneasily, tried to look around as inconspicuously as possible.

“
Everywhere,” she said simply and turned to walk down the shore.

Studying the lake, the trees, the darkening sky above she realized it all had a distinct character of its own. If the imagination took over too long she could see faces, forms, distinct sets of eyes looking back. One fat, sprawling tree in particular caught her attention. Her heart quickened as she realized it was not imagination. It had a very distinct set of eyes and was clearly looking at her. Anxiety gripped her, forcing her eyes closed. She looked again. Nothing.

The air was heavy, weighing on her lungs and pressing in on the dual essence within. That thing in her center churned, rose like acid in the back of her throat, coating her nerves. She let it come and it spread outward creating a shell that glimmered for just a moment before it became unseen.

“
What was that?” Jim asked, drawing near, wanting to reach out and protect her, afraid to.

“
I… I’m not sure, the power rising I guess. I felt afraid and it spread out and formed a barrier. It kinda tingles.” Katherine looked at him with mixed eyes.

“
And that,” he pointed at her, “I saw that last night. What is with your eyes. One minute they’re this incredible green, then they get all hazy and muddy brown.” He approached, reached out to touch her face gently.

“
That’s Miranda.” Again she didn’t offer to elaborate but looked carefully at him. “Wishing you’d taken time to know more?” She raised her eyebrows.

“
Yea, well. The point was ta have an adventure, answer some questions. Solve the mystery of this place. Not that anyone would ever believe it.” He grinned at her, then gave a quizzical expression. “Who’s Miranda?”

“
The creature’s wife.” She waited for his shocked look then laughed. “She’s me, actually.”

He backed away a few steps, watching the eyes shift.

“
No, not like that. I’m her… re-incarnated, kinda.” She let out a deep sigh. “It’s really difficult to explain in shorthand. Maybe tonight after we settle down somewhere. For now she’s my past personality called up to help me get through this. Does that work?”

“
Yea, okay. Long as I get the rundown. But ya’re still you, right?” He looked genuinely confused.

“
Right.”

“
Alright, well, we need to settle down. What do ya want to do for the night?” Jim looked at the shoreline, the foot trail that went around the bend.

“
This way.” Katherine said and headed along the path.

As they walked she watched the water, breathed deeply of familiar scents. The cove was just around the corner and she wanted to see the house. As she rounded the bend she looked up toward where the house should’ve been. There were dense trees instead. Fifty years had done their damnest to fill in the yard that had previously extended to the water’s edge.

Katherine felt her heart sink as she stood there. The roof was visible through the trees, but little else. Jim caught up, saw the disappointed expression.

“
It’s still standing. No one’s burned it down or anything.” He tried to offer support, tried to understand why she’d care.

“
Charles would
never
let that happen,” she stated matter of factly. “It still stands, intact. No one would survive who tried to do it harm. He and the others built it with their own two hands.” Pride rang through in her voice. Jim had to look twice to see if this was the same woman, looked to see the foggy eyes.

“
Wow. Family’s family, huh?”

Looking at him she smiled gently, then searched the trees behind him.

“
There.” She pointed to the trail off to his right. “Follow that, it’ll lead to the cabin.”

She moved before he could react, was in the forest quicker than he could object.

“
Uh, wait. Why don’t we camp here by the water. Who knows if the cabin’s even still standing. Or what’s in it. It might not be safe.” His objection rang through the trees as if he were standing in an empty room.

“
Trust me you don’t want to be out here all night.” She hiked onward, never hesitating.

“
Why?” Jim asked, trying to catch up to her determined pace. “Afraid of th outdoors?” he joked.

Before Katherine could reply a deep moan started in the distance. It grew in pitch, rising to a crescendo as others joined, welcoming her home.

“
That’s why. Wolves.” She crashed on through the narrow path, limbs grabbing at her gear.

“
But,” Jim protested. “We don’t have wolves in this part of Maine.”

“
Yea,” she paused, listened. “Sound like wolves to me. What was it you said got Nigel last night?”

Jim paused, scanned the trees.

“
Wait a minute. You believe in all this creepy stuff, in the stories of this lake, my family’s dark heritage and you don’t believe there could be wolves here?” Katherine furrowed her brow as she waited for the reply.

“
Well, okay. But wouldn’t somebody’ve reported wolves? I mean, there’d be hunters after them and people trying ta protect ‘em and stuff.”

“
What good’d it do to report the other stuff around here? They get ridiculed and picked on, yet no one comes here. And something tells me they don’t need protection. If anything I’d say they are as unnatural as Greystone and my family. They’ve probably been here from the start. Wild when the family came, tamed and rolled in as protectors.” She searched the past lives, knew she was right. “Probably the same ones.” Turning she continued up the trail at a crisp pace.

Thinking about this he finally shrugged as he fought to keep up. “Okay, ya’ve got a point.”

The rest of the walk was spent concentrating on the woods. All was quiet, everything looked as trees and forest should except for the distinct lack of birds. She wondered if it was always like this. Miranda confirmed that it wasn’t. This was a result of the act of sealing up the property, protecting it until the family returned to reclaim it.

The trees parted suddenly, spilling them out into a small clearing. At its center stood the cabin from the dreams.

“
Wow,” Jim said from beside her. “If th lake looked spooky, then th cabin is without a doubt haunted.” He laughed, then stopped when he saw she wasn’t amused.

In fact, she wasn’t anything. Her face was blank as she stood before it. The swayback structure seemed to be leaning on the porch. Vines of long dead plants mixed with the dying colors of fall leaves covering the outside in a ghastly veil of grey splattered red. The boards were weather worn and even broken in places. Heaven only knew what creatures had taken up residence here, except that nothing seemed to live here. The trees around it were showing signs of peaking, an occasional leaf spiraling to the ground. A tiny maple sprouting up through the floorboards of the porch had changed completely, sporting golden leaves.

For the first time Katherine realized it was getting chilly. As she approached she felt a calm and safety she didn’t feel anywhere else. It hadn’t been safe the day Greystone had chased her there. Now though, it seemed serene enough, almost sad. As if it was trapped in the middle of all of this. Abandoned. Forgotten.

Silent glances were exchanged as they stepped forward onto the creaking slats of the porch. They laid their gear down at the edge, stepped gingerly onto the boards. It seemed sturdy enough. Jim pulled vines from the doorway and laid his hand on the knob.

“
Want ta do the honors? After all, it’s your cabin.”

Katherine shook her head no and stared unblinking and wide eyed at the door. Every nerve in her stood on end. Her heart raced and her face drained of color. The incident with Greystone flared in her head, her arms pulsed where the wounds were still healing.

The door creaked and moaned as it slowly gave way. Inside the cabin was musty and dim. Thin streaks of gray light shone in from one of the two small windows on either side. Just one room with a small rough hewn table and a small bed built into the wall. The bed was just a frame now with shreds of what must have once been bedding hanging from it. There was an inch of dust everywhere and cobwebs in the corners. A few old metal plates, cups, pots and pans sat on the table in a neat stack. A rotted mop, the handle turned black with age, moss growing on it, stood in the corner.

“
Somebody left in a hurry seems like. The old man’s father I guess.” Jim disappeared out the door, came back in with their gear. “We need ta get some light going.”

A strange feeling overcame Katherine. As if some influence was trying to get in. She shook her head, turned to find Jim standing behind her with a hatchet in his hands. Quickly she backed up into the room, stared at him.

For a moment confusion crossed his face, then the realization he’d scared her.

“
No, no. I’m just goin’ out to get a little firewood, in case it gets cold ta’night.” He backed out of the room. “I’ll be right back, just outside the door. Get the lights goin’.”

Without another word he disappeared. She heard the sounds of him moving very clearly on the old boards. There’d be no one sneaking up on them tonight. They were alone and she’d just made a fool of herself. Looking at the chimney she wondered if it were even usable.

When Jim returned he came cautiously through the door. The room was lit up by battery powered lanterns placed on either side. Katherine had laid their sleeping bags out side by side and was opening canned meat and crackers.

“
Ya okay?” he asked, coming in and laying the wood by the chimney.

“
Yea, it’s just been a long trip, so much happening. I didn’t mean…” she shook her head, hoped he could understand.

Coming across the room he put his arms around her slowly, gently from behind.

“
I’d never hurt ya. I’m he’re ta help. I promise.” He breathed deeply of her hair.

Pulling his arms tighter she snuggled back against him, turned her head to the side.

“
I know you are. I don’t know why that scared me. I really don’t.”

“
It’s okay. I understand. Ya’ve been through a lot. More than most could handle, much less stand up ta.”